In a recent announcement, Thomas Doll, the coach of Persija Jakarta, has stated that he will not release his players to join the U-23 Indonesian national team for the 2024 U-23 Asian Cup. The German coach provided several reasons for his decision, all of which center around the obligations and priorities of Persija Jakarta as a club.
Doll emphasized that the Kemayoran Tigers require their players to be fully present in order to compete for the 2023/2024 Liga 1 title. This pursuit of the title takes precedence, and as a result, Doll made it unequivocally clear that the players will not be leaving to join the U-23 national team.
The U-23 Indonesian national team is scheduled to participate in the 2024 U-23 Asian Cup, set to take place from April 15 to May 3, 2024 in Qatar. Coinciding with this period, Persija has significant matches lined up in the Liga 1 2023/2024 against Barito Putera, RANS Nusantara, and PSIS Semarang. These matches are pivotal for Persija Jakarta to secure a spot in the top four positions and qualify for the championship series in May 2024.
In addition to the team’s dedication to the Liga 1 title hunt, Thomas Doll also took into account that the 2024 U-23 Asian Cup is not included in the official FIFA agenda. This fact contributed to his decision not to release his players to join the national team.
While Doll’s decision is resolute, he indicated that there may be room for flexibility. He mentioned that the players could potentially join the U-23 Indonesian national team after Persija’s matches or during their spare time, indicating that he might consider releasing them with rational considerations.
Historically, Persija Jakarta has been known to contribute players to the U-23 Indonesian national team, and this time is no different. Several Persija players have been summoned to join the national team, including Rio Fahmi, Rizky Ridho, Donny Tri Pamungkas, Muhammad Ferarri, and Muhammad Rayhan.
In conclusion, Thomas Doll’s decision not to release Persija players to the U-23 Indonesian national team for the 2024 U-23 Asian Cup has been made with the club’s best interests in mind. With important Liga 1 matches on the horizon and the non-FIFA status of the Asian Cup, Doll is prioritizing Persija’s commitment to the title hunt. While the decision is not absolute, it underscores the coach’s pragmatic approach to managing player commitments.
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